A TEENAGER whose parents and four sisters perished in a house fire last month has died after losing his battle against leukaemia.

Adam Riaz, 17, was the only surviving member of the Riaz family who all died in the horrific blaze on Tremellen Street, Accrington, on 1 November.

Adam was staying at the Christie Hospital in Manchester receiving chemotherapy at the time of the tragedy.

Mum Caneze, 39, a well-known community worker, died at the scene along with her daughters Sayrah, 16, Sophia, 15, Alicia, 10, and Hannah, three.

Dad Mohammed, 49, belieed to have started the fire, was plucked from the house by firefighters but died two days later in hospital without regaining consciousness.

Adam bravely attended the funeral of his family and made a heartrending speech to the waiting media following the traditional Muslim burial.

Wearing a baseball cap with his suit to hide the effects of the chemotherapy, he said: "We have just said farewell to my beautiful, talented mother and sisters. They are at peace now and we can only ask that we, the family, are also given the time we so desperately need in order to grieve together in private."

Two weeks later he also attended a memorial service for the family at Moorhead High School which the two oldest daughters attended. He was accompanied by his grandmother June and his uncle Barry Khanan, Caneze's brother.

Adam, himself a former Moorhead High School pupil, was said to have been a "sweet guy who wouldn't hurt a fly". He had also been staying with his grandmother on Countess Street, Accrington, while he recuperated from his cancer treatment.

A police statement said: "At around 8am on Monday, Adam Riaz sadly died at Christie's. Adam, who lost six members of his family in the tragic house fire in November, was suffering from terminal cancer. Members of the media are asked to respect the family's request for privacy at this difficult time."

Alicia Custis, communications manager at the Christie Hospital, said: "The last couple of months had been extremely difficult for Adam and everyone close to him. Adam was a very special and talented young man and will be sadly missed by all our staff who worked with him."

Adam's funeral will take place this Thursday (14 Dec). A service will take place at the Grimshaw Street Mosque at 10.30am, and Adam will then be buried next to his mother and sisters at Accrington Cemetery at 11am.